Press Release

Veredus Laboratories Confirms VereFlu™ Lab-on-Chip Detects the Current Subtype of Avian Flu H7N9 in Addition to All Other Human Flu Subtypes

VereFlu™ is based on STMicroelectronics’ industry-proven Lab-on-Chip platform

Singapore /
10 Apr 2013

Veredus Laboratories today announced that the current version of VereFlu detects the current subtype of H7N9 (Avian Flu) that is responsible for the Flu outbreak in China. H7N9 is the latest mutation to cause concern and increased surveillance in the region. Launched in 2008 and built on the STMicroelectronics lab-on-chip platform, VereFlu run on Veredus’ VerePLEXTM biosystem is the market’s first test to integrate two powerful molecular biological applications, Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) and a microarray, onto a Lab-on-Chip platform.

VereFlu is a portable lab-on-chip application for rapid detection of all major influenza types at the point of need. Unlike existing diagnostic methods, VereFlu is a breakthrough molecular diagnostic test that can detect infection with high accuracy and sensitivity, within two hours, providing genetic information on the infection that traditionally could take days to weeks to learn. With its high level of automation, users outside the traditional lab environment can easily perform the tests at the point of need. In addition to the current H7N9 Avian Flu, VereFlu is proven to identify and differentiate human subtypes of Influenza A (H1, H3, H5, H7, H9) and B viruses, including the Avian Flu subtype H5N1, and the 2009 pandemic H1N1/2009, all in a single test.

“After learning of the outbreak in China, we have confirmed in-silico1 that our current VereFlu influenza panel is able to detect the subtype of H7N9 responsible for this outbreak in addition to other human Flu A and B infections,” said Rosemary Tan, chief executive officer of Veredus. “This confirms our vision when we designed the panel for the need to have a multiplexed molecular test to detect not only the typical seasonal influenza subtypes but also novel emerging subtypes, including the current H7N9 subtype, capable of making the jump from animals to humans. Our customers can be assured that with VereFlu they are able to detect H7N9 and we are able to deliver immediately a fast, reliable surveillance system that can be deployed to help monitor the current situation.”

About Veredus Laboratories Pte LtdVeredus Laboratories Pte Ltd was founded in 2003 and launched its first products in 2005. Veredus is a Singapore-based majority-owned subsidiary of STMicroelectronics (NYSE: STM), a global semiconductor leader serving customers across the spectrum of electronics applications.

Veredus specializes in the development, manufacture, and marketing of innovative multiplexed molecular solutions in the clinical, specialty, and custom testing markets based on STMicroelectronics’ proprietary Lab-on-Chip platform. The Lab-on-Chip platform, marketed as the VerePLEXTM biosystem, combines Micro-Electro-Mechanical-Systems (MEMS) with micro-fluidics to integrate multiplexed DNA amplification with microarray detection for rapid, cost-effective, and accurate analysis of biological materials.

About STMicroelectronics
ST is a global leader in the semiconductor market serving customers across the spectrum of sense and power and automotive products and embedded processing solutions. From energy management and savings to trust and data security, from healthcare and wellness to smart consumer devices, in the home, car and office, at work and at play, ST is found everywhere microelectronics make a positive and innovative contribution to people's life. By getting more from technology to get more from life, ST stands for life.augmented.
In 2012, the Company’s net revenues were $8.49 billion. Further information on ST can be found at www.st.com